Drunken Antics
by Kay-chan15
Summary: Fai gets himself drunk, and Kurogane helps him back. This is about the conversation and actions in between. Further notes inside.


Title: Drunken Antics  
Characters: Kurogane and Fai. More gen than pairing (gasp). In other words, not anymore there than it is in the current canon.  
Length: 607 words  
Diclaimer: Not mine.  
Notes: There's one mention to Fai getting drunk in some later volume, but beyond that no spoilers. I haven't actually _read_ that volume or scene (I only read the official english manga, in case reading the scanlations causes me to want to stop buying them, which means I've only read through volume 4 right now), but I know more or less what happens, and it's just a quick mention anyway. I actually came up with this fic idea about a week before even finding out about that canon manga scene, so I'm definitely not copying that idea/scene. Comments very much appreciated, especially seeing as this is my first real TRC fanfic.

* * *

Kurogane found Fai stumbling out of the local inn, body uncoordinated and ungraceful, face slightly flushed. He instantly stomped over to the wizard and reached him just in time, as Fai collapsed onto his shoulder as soon as he reached him, causing Kurogane to have to catch him before he fell to the ground in a heap. Fai merely giggled uncontrollably and smiled even wider than usual.

"You've been drinking." It was a statement, not a question, accompanied by a resigned sigh of exasperation.

Fai nodded enthusiastically. "That guy, you know, the guy, he wanted to drink, and he wanted me to go, so I went and got him drunk and asked questions for information and I guess I had a bit too much to drink myself," he rambled quickly.

Kurogane closed his eyes briefly, praying to whatever gods existed in this world for patience. Opening them again, he said harshly, "You idiot. You should have known better than to get yourself drunk in the process, especially after last time."

He reflected silently that the wizard really _should_ have known better; he was smarter than that.

Fai pouted, still leaning on him as Kurogane began to slowly lead them back to the small hotel where the five of them were staying and where the others were waiting for them to come back. "Ah, don't be such a...a...party pooper, Kuro-nin!" he said, pointing a finger at him. Then he pointed it in a direction a little to the left of him, "And that Kuro-pon," then to his right, "And Kuro-wan." To the side again, then up at the sky. "And Kuro-jin, Kuro-ru, Kuro-bi, Kuro-ai, Kuro--"

"Enough!" Kurogane yelled, finally not able to take it anymore.

"But there's so many Kuro-pi's!"

"You're _drunk_, just shut up already," he growled out, trying to resist smacking him.

"I'm drunk?" Fai blinked, as if this news was a complete surprise to him. "Mah, I haven't been drunk since forever!"

"Well, you're drunk now," Kurogane replied absentmindedly, not even looking down at him again as they walked--or rather, hobbled--along.

There was actually silence for a minute then, before Fai mumbled quietly, "Ashura..."

Kurogane looked down at him now. "What?"

"Where's Ashura?"

"Who the hell is Ashura?"

"He was here one time I was drunk," was all he got in reply, the wizard either merely not answering his question or deeming that answer enough.

Kurogane didn't know what to say to that, so he just muttered, "Oh."

Another moment passed before Fai suddenly announced, "I remember now! He's sleeping."

"Sleeping?"

Fai nodded. "Yes, for a long, long, long, long time. I hope."

"...oh."

After that, Fai didn't speak again, and Kurogane stopped paying attention to him. It wasn't until they reached the hotel room that he realized Fai was asleep on his shoulder. Sighing, he fleetingly contemplated that he was glad the others were already fast asleep so that they couldn't see the two of them coming in like this. Kurogane didn't need the teasing that could induce, especially from Mokona.

He laid Fai carefully on his bed, and then as a second thought drew the covers up over him, before going over to his own bed and collapsing onto it. Staring up at the ceiling, the only light coming from the moon and the stars shining in through the single window, he thought about some of the things that had been said and done that night.

It was awhile yet before he managed to fall asleep.

The next morning, around a horrible hangover, Fai asked if he had said anything strange last night.

Kurogane hesitated only momentarily before answering.

"No."


End file.
